I’ve just done a small leap of excited joy. I got it. That elusive first book sale. I’m over the moon!
I’d never thought about self publishing before. That was, until I read the article with Amanda Hocking on The Guardian website which outlined her supreme success at making it as an e-author. Suddenly, an entire new world came into focus and I realised that the novels which had been languishing in my computer files could actually become something. Yes, they’d need some work, some hard hours and many edits to get them to a stage where I’d be happy to publish them. But, I could publish them, me, myself. I could put them online for everyone to see and reap the rewards and disappointments as they came.
So, in earnest, I set out to complete Inside Evil. A couple of months later and several extreme edits and rewrites, I uploaded to Amazon in less than a huge fanfare. In fact, I’ve been so secretive about my works that I haven’t shared it on Twitter or Facebook…surely a HUGE marketing faux pas. It’s not my fear of being rejected as such, but the fear of friends and family having to go through the motions of pretending to love my work whilst secretly hiding their true feelings. That’s what I truly fear. Releasing works which those who I love actually think are not worth the paper that they’re written on yet cannot say such things to my face. I can cope with strangers hating my work and criticising. From loved ones; that’s a whole other ballgame.
Having done NOTHING in the way of research into self publishing and marketing, I’m brand new at this whole venture. My sister bought the first copy of the book, but, to my delight, I’ve just signed into my account and almost a week to the hour after first uploading, I’ve my first sale. I’ve really done nothing in the way of marketing, other than setting up this blog and though one tiny, little, insignificant sale may seem like nothing, I’m overjoyed.
I’m now an author. I’ve published, I’ve sold. What an incredible feeling. And now I have to strive to continue this feeling for the upwards struggle!
Geoff Wakeling 
Congratulations on that first sale. I haven’t forgotten what a thrill mine was. Since you don’t seem to be in a hurry, you have the option of looking around and experimenting to see what kind of self-promotion will work for you. But if you don’t do any at all, there aren’t going to be many more sales. I’m a slacker when it comes to promotion, so I’ve sold a little less than 100 books in the eight months since I started, and that’s with several out there. It’s no easy job, but I have no ambitions to be another Hocking. There’s room for us turtles, so keep up the good work.
Thanks so much, it really is a thrill isn’t it? 🙂
As you say, I’m in no huge hurry and I write for a living so this novel publication business is a little sideline. It’s more about sharing my stories, and if they ever make it big, then that’s great. I will do some more promotion in the future when I’m a little more confident but for now I’m happy writing and blogging about the experience 🙂